Stop irregular migration
It is estimated that some 200 million people reside outside their country of origin; one in every 32 persons in the world is a migrant. This means there is no longer a single country that can claim to be untouched by the phenomenon of mobility of persons.
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The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates that up to 35,000 sub-Saharan irregular migrants leave for North Africa and Europe every year. The total number of international migrants has increased from an estimated 175 million in 2000 to 232 million persons in 2015, the United Nations has stated.
Despite increased security crackdowns, forced mass expulsions by North African security forces, imprisonment and even sometimes brutal murder of irregular migrants on the Libyan Desert, thousands of West African migrants still attempt the perilous desert, crossing from northern Niger through the gateway town of Agadez, circumventing all rebellion, increased banditry and border crackdowns.
Who is an irregular migrant?
Emigration rules of countries require certain travel documents in order to migrate legally to another country. Migrants who meet these requirements are called regular migrants. People who enter a country without proper authorisation, documentation, or stay permit for a longer period than authorised are in an irregular situation. Irregular migration exposes migrants to many dangers, including disease infection, lack of food and water, abuse, confiscation of documents and in the worst case scenario, tragic death.
Situation of irregular migration in Ghana
The Chief of Mission for IOM-Ghana, Ms Sylvia Lopez Ekra, indicates the country is ranked first among some 10 other countries from which migrants travelled to Italy by sea and is the top five in Africa. While more than 4,000 Ghanaians arrived in Italy between January and December 2015 to seek greener pastures, estimates of Ghanaian emigrant population ranges from some 1.5 million to a record high of three million.
The Brong Ahafo Region, particularly Berekum, Nkoranza, Techiman and the surrounding villages and towns, comparatively, records the highest number of irregular migrants. The overall trend of migration in the area continues to rise above the national and regional average. The success of some migrant youth in these areas has encouraged others to attempt the journey. Unfortunately, many are often unaware of the extreme dangers of this trip.
A 25-year-old deportee migrant from Libya (preferred anonymity), who began his journey from Nkoranza, with the hope of going to Italy, narrates a rather shocking, bitter, dehumanising and pathetic ordeal on the Sahara desert. His truck was stopped approximately 500km from Agadez, en route to Libya. An armed truck intercepted his group: “They made us undress and took everything of value. I was robbed of my clothes, a sum of $500 and all my other belongings were destroyed. They deflated our truck’s tyres and emptied our fuel tank”. Unfortunately, only a few of his group survived the starvation, thirst and the excruciating pain of continuing the rest of their adventure until they arrived in Libya. Their joy was short-lived as they were immediately picked up by the Libyan authorities and deported to Ghana. With shattered hopes and dreams, many of these returnee irregular migrants who are either deported or return voluntarily, find life typically unbearable and difficult to integrate into their families and to live yet again a befitting and dignified conjugal and communal life.
What motivates irregular migration?
A combination of uncontrolled factors pushes many young people to move abroad, amid the dangers and risks involved. Relatively, Ghana has a young population and most of them are unskilled, unemployed or are employed in the informal sector. While a lot of irregular migrants, especially the youth, are persuaded by fantasies of better and or plentiful prospects in Europe, many more are influenced foremost by rising poverty levels, inequalities, high unemployment, high cost of living and lately, the unattractive nature of farming activities in the country. Such migrants gather in small groups, hatch a plan, usually together with a returnee migrant who survived the dangers and thus become the ringleader and an informant to the group.
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Many more of these young people who have gone through these experiences exist in our communities and we know them because they are our friends, schoolmates or family members. Considering the risk involved, I strongly advise all young people in the country who are desire to travel to seek appropriate advice from authorities concerned.
As a country with the most travelled people in Africa, it should be a concern for all of us. Stakeholders, especially parents, schools, churches and the Muslim communities in the country should use their various platforms to advise the youth to desist from this practice. Life is more precious than anything else the world can offer.